In honor of World Refugee Day on Thursday, June 21st, this week's Songs of the Day were chosen by DJ Darek Mazzone, host of Wo'Pop, our modern global radio show on the air Tuesday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.
Formed in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1980, Dur-Dur Band combined traditional folk music with Arabic, African, and Western influences of funk, reggae, and disco into their infectious sound. At the time, the government was paying bands to spread their propaganda through music, but Dur-Dur Band was a private organization who just wanted to have a good time. Throughout the '80s, they released 12 albums and garnered a devout following, but then violence broke out in Somalia and the band members fled to Ethiopia in 1992. It took 12 years, but each musician was eventually relocated somewhere else: United States, Canada, the United Kingdom. In an interview with Minneapolis Public Radio, lead vocalist Abdinuur Daljir said, "I felt really sad that we all had to go [to] different parts of the world, but at the same time, we always had hopes that one day we will find each other."
Twenty years later, that wish came true thanks to a grant-funded project called Midnimo (the Somali word for "unity") that brings Somali musicians to Minnesota to promote understanding of Somali-Muslim culture and they played their first show in two decades at Minneapolis' Cedar Culture. Their music has also been reissued by the labels Analog Africa and Awesome Tapes from Africa, introducing them to a whole new audience and keeping the party alive.
Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.
Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
